Willy Chavarria on Armani’s Shoulders, Almodovar’s Women, and The Exorcist | Fashion Neurosis

Willy Chavarria is an American fashion designer. Born and raised in California, he studied graphic design at the Academy of the Arts, and got his start in clothing design working in the shipping department at Joe Boxer, eventually taking on a role in the company as a designer. Willy Chavarria worked at Calvin Klein as the Senior Vice President of Design until 2024. He launched his eponymous label in 2015. Known for his melding of politics and fashion, Willy’s clothing aims to uplift the underrepresented, and he has frequently collaborated with organisations to advocate for social justice. His designs draw on his Mexican-American heritage, and he recently presented his SS26 collection HURON at Paris Fashion Week. Chavarria has been awarded the 2022 Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian National Design Award in Fashion Design, was the CFDA Menswear Designer of the Year in 2023 and 2024, and in 2025 was named one of TIME100’s ‘Most Influential People of 2025’ and nominated for the Designer of the Year award at The Fashion Awards in London. On this week’s episode of Fashion Neurosis, Bella Freud and Willy Chavarria discuss politics in fashion, his fashion icons, and designing as a public service. Chapters 00:00:00 Intro 00:00:28 What are you wearing today? 00:04:07 Politics in Fashion 00:11:29 Inspiration from childhood 00:15:00 Masculinity 00:17:33 Designing Womenswear 00:21:43 Childhood dressing and film inspirations 00:25:31 Preppy dressing 00:27:19 Performative politics 00:31:20 Dres